Quarter Quell
by mml.you4ea
Summary: A surprise awaits tributes at the Quarter Quell...the boy and girl from District 0. Rated K Plus due to violence.


_Disclaimer: I do not own rights to the Hunger Games. The series belongs to Suzanne Collins. _

The voice on the intercom was harsh and to the point. "What did they score?"

Dimas didn't want to say. Even though the public did not know about the special tributes yet, someone might blame him for their performance failure as an associate producer in charge of talent.

"They both scored zero." There, he had said it without his voice breaking.

"How is that possible?" asked the disembodied voice of some personal assistant to some Capitol VIP.

"They had to be physically placed in front of the judges. Once there, they did much the same as they have done the entire time…nothing."

"And you have used…persuasion."

"Yes. It's like nothing is happening. They tune out."

"Well, it's not like they can voice an opinion. Let me get back to you," and the voice was gone.

Less than two minutes later, another call came through. "They will go into the arena, but they will not be said to represent the Capitol. You will say they are from District 0, our new prison."

"Your command is my pleasure," said Dimas, but the voice was gone already. Dimas sighed. What a disaster this had been, and now they were still trying to save face, whoever had the bright idea to include these two as tribute in the first Quarter Quell. Why couldn't they just back down?

Dimas wasn't a superstitious man, but he felt the tributes of District 0 were bad luck…and creepy. The girl and boy, free of personalities, lanky and perpetually messy looking, despite everyone's best efforts, were strange to say the least. They were the offspring of people who had been imprisoned years ago, when the Capitol's earlier predecessor had been more merciful. Now, generations away from those originally imprisoned, they lived in a different world where only the strongest survived. It was said the Capitol took their most elite forces from within the walls of District 0; the rest were turned into mute servants ready to do the work of the Capitol…not normal work, but the dirty work. "Girl" and "Boy", as they were called, were supposed to be the dirtiest of the lot, but they had apparently been overwhelmed by the pomp and circumstances of the Quarter Quell and its preparations. Not that it was his problem now. They would most likely be dead within moments of getting off the platform, if they even bothered to do that.

Well, it would be no great loss he thought, and finally turned in for the night.

Dimas was in the command booth the next day. He would be directing a portion of the special effects team, but nothing was planned for the Cornucopia at that moment. Instead he watched as the platforms rose. The tributes of District 0 had been announced. Dimas wondered if someone had to dress them in their uniforms. The girl, her wispy, light-brown hair cut short to frame her ghostly face, stared around her as the countdown continued, her pale gray eyes darting. Skinny and short, she looked like a ten year old, but was supposedly 15 years of age. The boy, dark and ratty, was also skinny and short, but he just watched the girl. The girl put her hand up in the air, and began furiously moving her fingers. Dimas had not seen her do that before, and wondered why. The countdown ended and everyone ran from the platform, except the tributes of District 0, who now watched the stronger tributes plunge into the Cornucopia for the best weapons. "They're too scared to move," thought Dimas. Maybe the crazy hand motion had been Girl's way of saying goodbye.

And then the District 0 tributes left their platforms. And the mayhem began. Girl ran forward, straight at a District 1 tribute, Beauty, who had picked out a short sword. Beauty had her back to Girl who upon coming close to Beauty, leapt into the air and landed with an elbow in the base of Beauty's skull. The blow must have hit hard because Beauty, a well-fed giantess, fell forward, knocked cold. Girl grabbed the sword from Beauty's hand on her way down, shoved it into Beauty's neck where she had hit it with her elbow, pulled it out and kept running.

Girl then picked up a backpack on the fly and holding it in front of her, went after the boy tribute from District 2. Romulus saw her coming and threw the fighting stars he had just selected at her. Girl kept moving in a snake-like pattern and the stars kept missing. Girl struck the sword into Romulus' midsection with great force and shook the sword violently before pulling it out. Romulus fell to the ground, and Girl spun off him, using the force of his falling body to yank the sword clear. The girl tribute from District 5 threw a spear at Girl, but missed as Girl dove for cover. She hit the ground at what seemed an impossible angle, rolled over and came up running. Several arrows were shot by someone Dimas couldn't see, but Girl used the pack to shield herself. It was as if Girl had 360 degree vision.

Then the male tribute from District 1 stepped in front of Girl. He also had a sword and knew how to use it. He had come around the Cornucopia and was thirty feet from her. Fleet, as he was called, knew he had Girl. He was fast and strong. There was no way she could escape him, and he would avenge his friend's death. But Girl would have nothing of it. She came at Fleet and fifteen feet from him, she threw the sword like a knife. The point hit home in Fleet's face. Girl kept running, grabbed the two swords from Fleet's body and fled into the brush. She had killed three of the highest scoring tributes in less than a minute.

Dimas, watching Girl in complete fascination, had missed Boy's exit. He too had killed three of the strongest tributes and disappeared with a backpack, a knife and a bow and arrows set.

The command booth, unlike any other moment in the ten games Dimas had previously worked, was completely silent. Even tributes at the Cornucopia could not help but show their shock. The realization was blooming among those in charge and the tributes…the girl and boy from 0 were not helpless or stupid. They were…a new breed of killer…and this would be a kind of games that had never been seen before.

Within an hour, nine more tributes were dead at the hands of Girl and Boy.

The audience loved them; but a call came from the Capitol. The tributes from 0 disappeared from the games and were never mentioned or seen again, alive or in footage. It would be a long time before their people were freed, so the prisoners of District 0 waited.


End file.
